City Blueprint, a “living” plan for future growth and development, was first approved by the Oak Ridge City Council in May 2019.  It represents the spirit and philosophy of planning in Oak Ridge, through broad community participation.  The intent is that the Municipal Planning Commission will regularly revisit the Plan in order to gauge progress, update conditions or strategies, and ensure there is alignment with community values and goals.

In 2016, Oak Ridge was experiencing exciting new commercial development and the newly formed National Historical Park.  With input from other boards and City leaders, the Municipal Planning Commission decided to begin crafting an updated long-range development plan, called “City Blueprint,” to provide guidance in future growth and decisions.

Creating a meaningful plan would depend greatly on receiving input from the people of Oak Ridge. The City Blueprint Kickoff Event was held on Thursday, January 26, 2017, at High Places Church in Historic Grove Center.  The entire community was invited and more than 500 people attended.  Attendees had the opportunity to visit booths representing various City services and organizations, and to provide feedback on what Oak Ridge is doing right, which City services can be improved, and what innovative ideas should be implemented.

Following the kickoff, 26 subareas were identified that covered the entire city – thirteen residential and twelve nonresidential areas.  Over a period of 16 months from May 2017 to August 2018, eleven community open house meetings were held in these areas to collect more focused feedback and identify potential projects.  Subarea reports were prepared by Staff, identifying issues, opportunities, and recommendations for each subarea.

Beginning in November 2018, content of the draft Blueprint Plan became available for public input through the City website, online surveys, and an informational room in the Community Development Department.  Comment boxes with posters were also displayed at the Library, Chamber of Commerce, and Municipal Building lobby.  Communication involved news media, social media, local organization meetings and presentations, and a growing e-mail contact list.

All of the feedback generated during the Blueprint process, as well as analysis of existing conditions and plans, were translated into recommendations in the plan.  At the final draft stage in early February 2019, two community open houses were held where everyone was invited to vote for their top five recommendations.  The first open house took place at the Oak Ridge High School following a regular school day, where 74 people signed in to vote by placing dot stickers on presentation boards.  Two days later, another 56 people voted at the open house at Grove Theater.

The visionary document produced at the end of the two-year planning effort, approved in May 2019, is the first step in a continuous planning process.  This initial Blueprint Plan is intended to be a clear and straightforward document that inspires action in achieving the community’s widely accepted vision and goals.